Ours
by EMndLIZ
Summary: Everyone has their version of what true love is. There is no one type and none is better than the other. For better or worse, Liason's willing to fight for their true love. Come hell or high water, they are in it together, now and forever. If only those around them could accept that truth. Then again, nothing worth having ever comes easy living in Port Charles. Not by a long shot.
1. First Date

**Ours**  
"First Date"

They have known each other for eight years, eight long years, and yet she couldn't be more nervous if she tried. Obviously this wasn't the first time they have tried to make something more out of their feelings for each other. Having tried for a romantic relationship on more than one occasion, but this just feels different somehow. Like it could actually work this time.

Sitting on her porch swing, the butterflies begin to send her stomach into a complete frenzy with each passing second, bringing the time closer and closer. Tonight will be the night they have their first official date in public. As if first dates aren't bad enough, chances of them running into someone that disapproves is along the lines of ten to one, higher than any other couple, that's for sure.

Cameron is currently at his great-grandmother Audrey's house, a source of support that she literally had not expected, not in the least. Since the moment she and Lucky had become an official item, her Gram's has always been all about them being together. Up until two months ago, her Gram was Lucky's number one supporter that it shocked her profusely when she had switched to supporting Jason. Even before she found out Lucky was an addict atop of being an adulterer.

Her son, of course, can't go without seeing Jason for even a day. In the two months that they have been together, Cameron has done all he can to keep Jason around, for as long as humanly possible. When Jason has no other choice but to leave, Cameron won't let him go until Jason promises that he'll be coming back soon.

These last two months have truly been the best two months of her entire life. Her son is happy and has finally accepted that Lucky's no longer part of their lives. He doesn't even ask for Lucky anymore. Gradually her son has adjusted to life without Lucky and she couldn't be happier. After everything that Lucky has done to them, she says good riddance.

"Jason." she whispers when the sound of a motorcycle breaks the silence, knowing it would be less than a couple minutes before he's outside her house.

In that moment, as she rose to her feet to greet him, Elizabeth felt all her nerves and fears melt away without a second thought. Watching as he walks up the pathway to where she's standing, that addictive smile upon his face, everything inside of her felt right. That this is exactly where her life had been leading her. To this moment, right there, with him.

"Hey." he voices softly as he holds her in his arms. "I missed you."

"I missed you." she replies on a whisper just before his lips take claim to hers.

"I set everything up with Sonny." he assures her as they make their way to his SUV that's parked in the driveway. "He'll only call if its life and death."

"That's surprising." Elizabeth replies as she slides into the passenger's seat. "Agreeing to that must have taken all his strength."

"He turned pale." Jason admits. "I thought he was having a heart attack."

"Remind me to thank him then." Elizabeth turns her gaze to the driver's side as he makes his way around the car and gets in. "So, where are we going?"

"Its a surprise."

She's wasn't sure just how thrilled she was to not know where they were headed, but she accepts that surprises are just something that she has to get used to when it comes to Jason. After all, having him make the choice to be with her had be one of the hugest surprises she has ever lived through. Hearing the words leave his mouth was a shock all its own.

The fact that he had done it in the middle of one of Sonny's family gatherings had been the most shocking of all, but Jason insisted that everyone be there when he made the announcement. The look of determination in his eyes, the firmness of his voice, and his outright body language had told everyone that he wasn't messing around this time. He didn't even wait for Carly to object or for anyone to question about Sam before he took her away from the gathering.

"The No Name?" Elizabeth questions in apt confusion when he removes his hands from her eyes to reveal where he had taken her. "I thought this place was shut down a long time ago."

"It was." he admits, slipping the key into the lock before pushing open the front door. "I bought it a couple years ago. Its been under renovation for the last year and I think its finally ready to be reopened."

"I don't know what to say." she admits as she walks through the door, taking in the decor. "It looks just like I remember it yet completely different."

"I wanted to keep the old look of the place, but a little more people friendly." he explains as he helps her slip out of her jacket. "I think I pulled it off."

"You did." she assures him. "Its bigger and better than it ever was."

"I'm glad you think so." he smiles softly. "Come on. I want to show you the private room."

As he showed her around, Elizabeth could tell that he was really proud of what he had done, this light shining through his eyes as he told her all about it. He told her about having Sonny help him decide what the kitchen would look like. The kind of stoves that would be necessary for all the cooking that will need to be done.

How Sonny nearly fainted when Jason said that a stove's a stove, it didn't matter which they chose. Of course, that comment earned him an hour lecture on the importance of choosing the right kind of stoves. Not that Jason really paid much attention to any of it. He just wanted Sonny to do the choosing in order to avoid an argument later.

"I know this probably isn't what you expected..."

"Its better than what I expected." she assures him, cutting him off by slamming her lips against his. "I had no idea you cared so much about this place."

"Its one of the few neutral places in my world." he says simply. "A place that can't be touched by any violence."

"The appeal is definitely growing on me." she smiles at him as he takes her hand and guides her over to the candlelit dinner. "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"If I've learnt anything about myself, its that I've never been good at letting people in." Jason voices as he pushes in her chair. "I don't want to make that mistake with you again."

"Me either." she agrees, holding up her hand to stop him from denying it. "I've done my fair share of shutting people out. Especially when it comes to you."

"Fair enough."

"Look, Jason, I know that us deciding to be together isn't going to magically fix everything that's ever happened between us." Elizabeth voices with apt seriousness. "But, I also know that I'm willing to work it out with you as long as you're in it with me."

"I'm not going anywhere." he assures her, taking her hand in his. "Never again."

Okay, so, maybe it wasn't the first date in public that she had been expecting, but who is she to complain about a first date of this caliber? For Jason to open up to her about something this close to his heart, Elizabeth had no words to describe just how deeply that affected her. Seeing just how much of himself he's opening up to her, Elizabeth's love for him only continues to grow stronger and stronger, hopeful for the success of their relationship this time around.

As dinner progresses, they find themselves talking about Cameron and the prospect of them having a future together as a family. They talk about the small things, like Cameron's bedtime schedule, his playtime preferences, as well as his favorite shows and movies. After they have touched on almost everything there is to know about Cameron, they move on to their plans for the future. Where they'll live when they decide to finally move in together, knowing its only a matter of time.

By the end of the meal, Jason had her in his arms, swaying to the soft music of the jukebox in the background. It wasn't until after the song ended and he went to put on another song that she recognized the jukebox. It was the one from Kelly's that usually sat just shy of the entrance. Bobbie had mentioned selling it to get a new one, but she never would have guessed that she had sold it Jason.

"I knew how much it meant to you." he voices when he notices her admiring the jukebox. "I didn't want it to be sent to the junkyard."

"The kind of money it must have cost to get it in running condition again..." she shook her head, knowing just how battered the thing was. "It had to have cost you more than its worth."

"We shared our first dance to it." he reminds her. "Given that the moment hadn't been ideal...its still part of our history. As far as I'm concerned, it didn't cost nearly as much as its worth."

"First the bridge and now this..." she couldn't find the words to describe all she was feeling in that moment.

"The past is just as important as the future ahead of us." he says simply. "You taught me that."

As his arms went to circle around her once again, her eyes slowly shut in anticipation of his lips gently touching hers for the initial embrace of his kiss. Always starting the same way, gentle and seeking before the passion implodes within them both, sending them into a hungry battle for dominance and submission, their kisses always leave her with a burning desire for more. More of him. More of them. More of everything.

From the newly refurbished No Name to her bedroom, their deliciously addictive song and dance takes on a new tune as he explores every inch of her transforming abdomen. Now four months along, she finds that he takes extra precautions whenever they're together. Taking on a slow, gentle, touch as opposed to the night that they had conceived the life inside of her.

"You okay?" he voices as they come down from their bout of ecstasy. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"You never do." she assures him as his hand moves to rest upon her abdomen. "You're always so good to me, Jason, even when I don't deserve it."

"That sentiment goes both ways." he replies lovingly. "I couldn't possibly repay you for all you've done for me."

"Say you'll stay tonight." she says hopefully, meeting his eyes with complete seriousness. "Cameron will be home in the morning and we can have a family breakfast...the four of us. What do you say?"

"With an offer that tempting, who am I to refuse?"


	2. Setting Boundaries

**Ours**  
"Setting Boundaries"

Picking up Cameron's toys from the living room floor, Elizabeth smiles softly, imagining herself at full term and barely being able to do such simple tasks. There had been a time, while she was pregnant with Cameron, that she had to literally sit on the couch in order to pick up the pen she dropped on the floor. It took her a good ten minutes to get back onto her feet again. Fortunately for her she had her trusty bodyguard right by her side while she was away from Port Charles. She doubts she would have survived that pregnancy without his help.

"Hello?" she answers her house phone when it rings. "Uh, sure...of course. Lunch sounds great. I'll meet you there."

Ending the call, surprised by the invitation, Elizabeth quickly gets bathed and dressed. Her Gram has decided to take Cameron for the day, probably hoping she'd take some time for herself, giving her the opportunity to take her friend up on the offer of lunch. Things have been rather rocky between them lately and she hopes that this lunch is the step in the right direction for them. Taking a deep breath, she starts up her car and heads off to the local diner, anxious to get the encounter over with and learn the true state of their friendship.

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liason  
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Straightening his jacket, Jason takes a deep breath before stepping into the staff meeting he had scheduled for that morning, needing to settle things with the men so that things can get back into running order within the organization. For months there has been talk about a power struggle within the organization and he's looking to set that straight today. With too many people having worked for the organization for about the same amount of time, all are anxious to see who would be promoted to Jason's lieutenants since the last two had unfortunately passed away in a car crash.

For the most part, Jason trusts each and every last one of the men under his employment, certain that they wouldn't be working for him if he didn't, but he didn't trust them enough to put them at his side. No. For a position of that caliber he needs the best of the best and that required pulling his two most trusted men back into the thick of it. For years now they have been itching for the chance to get back in, but the opportunity never presented itself. Until now.

"Have a seat." Jason says when the men rise to their feet as he enters. "This won't take much time. I understand that there has been a lot of questions floating around and its time to set the rumors straight."

"If I may..." Ritchie steps forward. "We're all just wondering who will take Marco and Dave's position."

"And that will be addressed by the end of the meeting." Jason assures him, showing him the level of respect the man deserves for his years spent protecting Sonny's family. "Before we touch on that topic, however, there are more pressing matters to see to. Shall we?"

Once he has the men's attention, Jason gets down to the business at hand, buying himself a little more time until the two can get to the warehouse. According to Stan the plane just landed, giving them just enough time to get to the meeting before its over. While he has the men's attention, he doesn't see any reason to not address the other problems at hand with the current warehouse management. He has to make the men understand why he has chosen to take this path instead of promoting one of them to the positions. Hopefully by the time he's done, he'll have accomplished that.

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liason  
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The smile fading from her lips, Elizabeth stares into the eyes of her closest friend and wonders if this is how it will always be. A part of her, as much as she'd like to deny it, had seen it coming from the jump. Emily has always had a problem with her and Jason's connection, more so when she thought they were dating all those years ago, and it obviously hasn't gotten any better. No matter what she wishes, Elizabeth must see what's right in front of her. She can't let her love for Emily blind her to the possibility that she'll try to get between her and Jason. Not this time around.

"Are you done?" Elizabeth questions when Emily stops talking. "Emily?"

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Good." Elizabeth says seriously. "Now that you've had your say, its your turn to listen."

"This should be good."

"You're entitled to your opinion, much like everyone else in this town, I won't deny you that." Elizabeth says after a brief moment. "But do keep one thing in mind while you are making up your mind about me and your brother. For as long as your standing is to be against the future we are planning together, you will not have any part in my relationship with Jason. Whatever happens between us, whether its good or bad, will not include you. Do I make myself clear?"

"What is this supposed to be, an ultimatum?" Emily counters. "Are you saying that you're going to make Jason keep his distance from me?"

"Of course not, Emily." Elizabeth shakes her head at the accusation. "Jason is his own man, whatever he decides is on him. I just want you to understand where I stand. As much as you wish it weren't happening, Jason and I are creating a family together. Cameron has finally begun to accept that Lucky is no longer in our lives and the last thing I need is for you to confuse him with your doubt. So, until you can decide on whether or not you want to accept my future with Jason, I just think its best that your contact with Cameron is kept to a minimum."

"So, basically, I have to accept your sudden relationship with my brother or you and I can't be friends anymore?" Emily voices, trying to get a grasp on where this conversation is going. "I can't be Cameron's auntie anymore?"

"If you choose to challenge my relationship with Jason rather than accept it, yeah...that's exactly what I'm saying." Elizabeth states. "Cameron has been through enough. I won't let him get caught up in a battle between us if that's what it comes to. I'm sorry, Emily, but two months is about all I've got in me. Make up your mind and get back to me...or not. Its up to you."

Rising to her feet, refusing to be talked out of it, Elizabeth tosses a few bills onto the table to pay for the lunch before making her way out of the diner. She never wanted it to come to this. She had hoped that, with a couple months to process the change, Emily would eventually learn to accept her relationship with Jason. From the look in her friend's eyes, it didn't look like that would be happening any time soon. As hard as it is for her to swallow the reality they've found themselves in, Elizabeth can't take any risks in regard to her family. She just can't.

For years she allowed the people in her life to scare her from Jason. Despite her heart's desire to be with him, she allowed the loud voices to dictate what she did. She allowed them to pull her back into the broken girl that needed Lucky to survive and she couldn't allow that to happen this time. No matter what she's risking by setting these boundaries, Elizabeth knows that it will be an acceptable loss as long as her future with Jason is unharmed. She lost him once to them. She won't lose him again.

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liason  
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He could see that they were finally understanding where he was coming from, making him that much more confident in the plans he has put together for the future of the organization. With Sonny's permission, he plans on changing up the organization completely, turning it into a well oiled machine. Every part of the organization will play its part and, if all goes right, it'll bring the organization into a more efficient system.

"In the coming weeks, each of you will have a more in depth meeting with myself and the two men I appoint as my lieutenants." Jason voices loud enough for all to hear him. "During that time, you will be able to voice your concerns and standing on the matter. Regardless of what you may think of them, however, you will show them the same level of respect you granted their predecessors."

Granted a unanimous nod from the men, Jason walks over to the door to let in the two men that would be taking their rightful place by his side. As much as he appreciated their efforts on the island, keeping the place in order, he couldn't hide the relief on his face when they came into view. With them around, Jason knows he'll be able to breathe a little easier knowing that they'll always have his back, no matter what.

"For those of you who don't know who these are, to my right is Francis Corelli. He has been a part of this organization going on twenty years." Jason introduces before moving on to the next one. "And, to my left, this is Johnny O'Brien. He has been with the organization for about fourteen years. There's a lot that many of you can learn from these two. Take that opportunity and, who knows, one day you could be called on to head up your very own division. That'll be all for today."

"Well, that went well." Johnny voices once the men file out of the room. "I would have bet a hundred bucks that at least one of them would have challenged us."

"That'll come. Trust me." Francis voices as the door shuts behind the last guard. "They'll challenge our authority until they believe we're the right people for the job."

"Something I'm sure you'll be able to do." Jason assures as he slips into his jacket. "You guys don't start until Monday. Why don't you take the weekend to get reacquainted with the town?"

"We've got plenty of time to reacquaint ourselves with the town." Francis waves off the offer. "We're more interested in getting reacquainted with Elizabeth. Think she'd mind a couple guests for dinner?"

"She'd probably kill you if you didn't stop by." Jason admits as they head out of the warehouse. "She usually has dinner around seven. I'll let her know you'll be joining us."

"Good." Francis shakes his head. "Until then, we'll be settling into our apartments."

"And, in case we haven't made it abundantly clear by now, we're really glad you finally took the leap." Johnny voices wholeheartedly. "Its about time the both of you stole some happiness for yourselves."

"Seven o'clock. Don't be late." Jason counters, not too fond of emotional conversations, especially with these two. They'd never let him live it down. "I'll see you guys later."

Racing back to Elizabeth, he's surprised when she doesn't even look up to acknowledge his presence, concerned about what would have her in such deep thought. As he gets closer, her eyes finally meet his, a soft smile touching her lips as he settles into the couch beside her, allowing her to snuggle into his side once he's comfortable.

"You okay?" he dares to ask as she holds him close. "Is it the baby?"

"No. The baby's just fine. Healthy as ever." she assures him. "I set boundaries with your sister and I'm not sure that our friendship will last much longer."

"Did you have any other choice?"

"No. Not if I wanted her to understand that I'm serious about us." Elizabeth takes a deep breath before closing her eyes. "I just wish there was another way."

"There's only so much you can do." Jason says softly. "Now the decision is on Emily. Whatever she decides, I promise you we'll get through it."

"As long as I have you, I can handle whatever she decides." Elizabeth assures him. "Whether she accepts us or not...I can handle it."


	3. Surprise Surprise

**Ours**  
"Surprise, Surprise"

Quietly sitting on the couch with her favorite charcoal pencil set and sketch pad, Elizabeth relaxes against the couch, patiently waiting for dinner to be served. As much as she tried to argue the point with Jason, he has skillfully convinced her to remain on the couch while he prepared dinner. She couldn't understand why he feels the need to take care of her like this, but she won't argue the point. She doesn't get to do much for him, aside from taking care of him when he's injured, and she'd rather not turn down the chance to make his life a little easier. Even if all she's doing is sitting down on the couch.

"Come in." Elizabeth calls out when there's a knock at the door, smiling softly when her gram opens the door with Cameron in her arms. "Hey, you two."

"I tried to talk him into staying tonight, but he just wouldn't let up." Audrey admits as she closes the door behind her. "It seems that Cameron would prefer sleeping in his own bed tonight."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Gram." Elizabeth says as she sets her items down to take her son in her arms. "I know how much you enjoy having him over."

"Don't apologize, child." Audrey waves away her apology. "I understand the need to be in your own home."

"Jason's making dinner." Elizabeth voices after a moment. "I'm sure he'll be glad to make more if you'd like to stay."

"As tempting as that offer is, I already have dinner waiting for me at home." Audrey smiles softly. "I love you both."

"We love you too, Gram." Elizabeth assures as she hugs her grandmother, her son between them. "You're welcome any time."

"The same goes for you." Audrey voices, gesturing to the kitchen. "All three of you."

"Thank you." Elizabeth says wholeheartedly. "I mean it, Gram. You have no idea how great it is to have you on my side."

"All I ever want is your happiness." Audrey says simply. "My methods in the past weren't ideal, I'll admit, but the reason behind it still stands true."

With that said, Audrey makes a silent exit back to her home, all the while thinking of how wrong she had been to not see the truth that had laid before her long ago. Ever since that fateful night she stepped into her granddaughter's studio and found Jason Morgan laying upon her couch. When her granddaughter stood up to her in defense of that man, she should have seen the truth and accepted it then. If only she had, maybe there wouldn't be this rift between them that they try so hard to ignore.

"Hey, bud." Jason voices as Cameron rushes into his arms. "How about you help me make dinner while mommy relaxes?"

"Oh, so, he gets to help and I'm stuck on the couch?" Elizabeth pouts teasingly. "How is that fair?"

"Since neither of us are trying to keep up enough energy for two people, I believe its completely fair." he replies easily as his picks Cameron up into his arms. "Rest. Dinner will be ready soon enough."

"Fine." she says as she relaxes back into the couch. "I know when I'm beat."

Watching the two of them walk into the kitchen, she wonders why it had taken them so long to do this. The mere thought of missing out on moments like this make her thankful that they stopped fighting what they were feeling and embraced the deepest parts of them. Though many would disagree, Elizabeth feels like it was always meant to be them. That somehow, someway, it would have always ended up being them.

"Are we expecting visitors?" Elizabeth questions as he pulls out her chair for her and she notices the extra place settings.

"Late visitors." he admits after glancing at the clock. "If they don't get here soon..."

"Looks like they're here." Elizabeth says when a knock at the door cuts him off. "I'll go show them in."

"No." Jason stops her from standing. "I'll show them in. You sit and relax."

"Keep making me relax and I'll start getting lazy." she points out. "But fine. Do as you must."

"Thank you." he smiles softly before kissing her forehead.

Making his way to the front door, Jason yanks it open to a bickering Johnny and Francis. Apparently they couldn't decide what they should bring to dinner because they were arguing over the thing they brought. It was until he cleared his throat that they acknowledged his presence.

"You're late." he states simply. "If you're done with your couple's therapy, dinner's on the table."

"Look who's learnt to joke." Johnny counters. "Tell Francis that wine is a suitable gift to bring to dinner."

"Its fine." Jason states. "Now get inside."

"I also brought these for the resident artist." Francis holds up a bag of art supplies as he walks through the door. "She's still into the whole art thing, right?"

"Not so much lately, but I'm sure she'll appreciate it." he assures. "I know she's been wanting to get back into her art."

The moment they walked through the door, Elizabeth had to do her best to refrain from swearing like a sailor. She had known something was up, but nothing this huge. Jason had always said there was no reason for them to return to town. Seeing them there in that moment, she couldn't help but wonder what was so important that he'd call them back to town now.

"Do I still have to stay in my seat?" Elizabeth turns to Jason, unsure of what she was supposed to do now. "Please say no."

"No." Jason obliges. "You don't have to stay seated."

"Good." Elizabeth blurts out before practically throwing herself into Francis's waiting arms. "I've missed you, so much."

"I've missed you, too." he assures as he holds her close. "I've brought you something."

"You didn't have to." she says quickly. "You being here is enough."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to." he says simply, handing her the bag. "I wasn't sure what you'd need, so, I got one of almost everything."

"I haven't had much time for my art in such a long time." she sadly admits as she stares into the bag filled with art supplies. "Thank you for thinking of this."

"I brought wine." Johnny pipes up, feeling a little jealous of all the attention his friend was getting. "Although, I see something else might have been a smarter bet."

"It'll be a long while before I can enjoy a glass of wine, but thank you." Elizabeth says softly as she fits herself into his arms. "I missed you, too, John."

"Speaking of which, congratulations." Francis smiles brightly. "Where's little Cam?"

"Under the table playing with his trains." she voices as she lifts the table cover to show them her son. "Cam, honey, come say hi."

"Hey, little guy." Francis voices when Cameron crawls out from under the table, kneeling down to meet his gaze. "I'm Francis. Its nice to finally meet you."

Before long, everyone sits down for dinner, each thankful for the company they are granted. Elizabeth found herself staring at both men constantly through the night, still unable to believe that they were really there. She knew, as well as anyone else, that the two have wanted to return to Port Charles for quite some time now. Having them there now simply took her breath away.

"You must have been really surprised to see us." Francis comments as they settle down with Cam while Jason and Johnny clean up after dinner.

"You can say that." she shakes her head. "Its nothing new, though. He's been surprising me left and right since we got together."

"As it should be."

"I'll get my chance." she assures. "You can trust me on that."

"What do you have planned?"

"Why?" she counters. "Wanna help?"

"Always."

"Well..." she says before whispering her plan in his ear. "What do you say?"

"It'll definitely be a surprise." he agrees. "Whatever you need, you got it."

"Great because it's going to be nearly impossible to pull this off without him knowing."

"I'm sure you'll manage."

"Hey." she laughs softly, smacking his shoulder playfully. "I am not the same scheming girl I used to be."

"I highly doubt that." he shakes his head. "If anyone can pull off a surprise like this, it'll be you. Trust me on that."


	4. Preparations

**Ours**  
"Preparations"

Fresh baked platter of brownies in hand, Elizabeth sits comfortably in the back seat of Cody's sedan as he drives her to Sonny's estate. Having a guard again has brought back memories from the past, reminding her of Sonny's kindness and generosity, before life took hold of him and turned him into the man he is today. She can still see glimpses of the man she used to know and that gave her hope for their friendship. Sure, it barely exists nowadays, but she still holds out that hope.

"Elizabeth?" Sonny voices in confusion when he opens his door to find her standing on the other side. "This is a surprise."

"Brownies." she replies, holding out the plate to him. "To thank you for giving Jason time off for our date."

"You don't have to thank me, Elizabeth." Sonny assures. "Its not that often I get to do something for Jason."

"So you don't want the brownies?"

"I didn't say that." Sonny practically snatches them out of her hands causing her to laugh softly. "Only a crazy man would turn down your brownies. Please, come in."

Following Sonny inside, Elizabeth glances back at Cody, who assures her he'll be right by the door, before she allows the door to shut behind her. As they make their way into Sonny's kitchen, she can't help but compare this place to Sonny's old penthouse. The overall design reminds her a great deal of the old penthouse, but there are subtle differences, as well. It wasn't a strong presence, but there's a small taste of Carly within those walls. Regardless of what both have claimed over these last few years, Elizabeth could see that they would soon be back in the thick of it, something she's certain neither would mind all that much.

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liason  
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Taking notes on the final touches that need to be made to the No Name before he starts planning the grand reopening. Elizabeth has offered to help him plan it and, to be honest, he was thankful for that. If he was supposed to plan it by himself, he might have done something crazy like hire Carly to do it and that wouldn't bode well for him at all.

His desire to keep the feel of the No Name the same as it has always been known to be will quickly fly out the door once she gets her hands on it. No. For all their sake, its definitely a good thing Elizabeth offered to help. Between the two of them, he's confident that the grand opening will go the way he wants it to. With Elizabeth's flare woven in, of course, he'll see to that. This will be their place, after all, and he wants her to have a hand in it.

"Jason?" Johnny's voices from the entrance area, successfully pulling him out of his thoughts. "Hey, man. The place looks great."

"That's an understatement." Francis counters as they make their way over to him. "You really outdone yourself."

"Lets get started." Jason says as he directs them to follow him. "I've gone over the security for the place, but I want you both to take a stab at it and let me know if I've overlooked anything."

"You never overlook anything." Johnny comments, knowing this would be pointless, but knowing they're about to do it anyway.

"I'll be bringing my family here on a regular basis. I won't leave anything to chance." Jason states. "Have your reports in by the end of the day."

"Understood." Francis assures before making his way to the exit closest to them and getting started.

"Jason?" Johnny voices once they're alone.

"Yeah?"

"Don't kill me for asking." Johnny says before taking a deep breath. "How's Emily been?"

"Sorry, kid." Jason shakes his head. "That's one answer you'll have to get the hard way."

"Come on..."

"Her number's still the same." Jason says simply. "Use it."

Leaving Johnny to handle things on his own, Jason makes his way out of the No Name, feeling the sudden urge to spend some quality time with Cameron. They've already begun the adoption process, a process that Diane is confident she can have completed it as little as two months, and he can't wait.

With Cameron's dad deceased, there's no one to contest the adoption, giving them the ability to make it official as soon as possible. By the end of the process, Cameron will go from Cameron Webber to Cameron Morgan. Something he was thankful that Elizabeth agreed upon. He wants Cameron to always know that he loves him. Regardless of what anyone else may say or think. Cameron is his son as much as he's Elizabeth, blood wouldn't make it anymore true.

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liason  
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Elizabeth could practically see Sonny's gears turning once she laid it all out there for him. She had been completely nervous about asking for his help, but now realizes just how silly she had been to be so worried. Once Sonny heard what she required of him, it was like a bright light switched on inside of him and he started planning right away. As they start to hash out all the details, it seemed to her that the Sonny she once knew was starting to show his face again, making her believe that he was always there, just not for her to see until now.

"Are you sure I can trust you to keep this from Jason?" Elizabeth dares to ask once they got the plans finalized. "Its just that he has surprised me so much since we got together and I really want to do this for him."

"I know we've been on shattered ground, but I fully intend to fix what we broke." Sonny assures. "Jason won't know what hit him."

"Great." she smiles brightly. "Now all I need to do is convince Jason to show up."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine." he chuckles before shaking his head. "Before you leave, I got something for your baby."

"Its not really wise to buy things for the baby before its born..."

"No, not the miracle in the making." Sonny shakes his head before picking up a gift bag from underneath the desk. "Its for Cameron. From what I've heard, he really likes Chugging Charlie."

"He does." Elizabeth confirms as she takes the bag into her hands. "You really didn't have to..."

"I wanted to." Sonny says sincerely. "My way of making it up to the little guy."

"Thank you, Sonny."

Granting him a soft smile, she accepts his hug before making her way back outside to Cody, instructing him to take her to the No Name. Jason had sent her a text about heading home to be with Cameron, giving her enough time to scope out the private room of the No Name and create a rough sketch of how she wants it to look. Of course, she hadn't expected to find Johnny and Francis arguing.

"One can only wonder how you two survived living together all these years." Elizabeth voices, causing them to become aware of her presence. "What are you two fighting about?"

"Nothing we won't settle." Francis assures before wrapping his arms around her. "How're you doing?"

"I'm fine." she assures. "Just came to handle that thing we discussed. Are you guys done securing the private room?"

"All done." Francis confirms. "Need help?"

"Not at the moment, but I'll let you know." Elizabeth replies before making her way to the private room. "Try not to get physical, okay? Jason'll kill you if you damage anything in this place."

Stepping into the private room, she has to take a moment to reminisce about her date with Jason before she continues on to her purpose for being there. Setting herself up in the corner with the best view of the entire room, wanting to plan out the entire setup before she gets the others involved in helping her decorate. Taking a deep breath, she flips open her sketch pad and gets started, hoping that she'll be able to bring to life the image she has floating around her head.

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Shutting off the stove, Jason sets Cameron's food in front of him, surprised to find that he was actually hungry. Normally at this time of the day, he's itching to be in the living room, playing with his toys. Pulling up a chair to sit beside him, he does his best to help Cameron when he needs it. He has gotten a lot better with feeding himself, but they still need to monitor him to make sure he doesn't stuff too much into his mouth.

"Hey." Jason says when he answers the phone. "Are you on your way home?"

"Not just yet." Elizabeth replies, shutting her sketch pad. "How are my two favorite men doing?"

"We're having a late lunch." he admits. "I was thinking about taking him to the park later."

"I know he'll love that." Elizabeth agrees. "Do you want me to get started on planning the grand opening?"

"I've actually gotten started." Jason replies. "I'll leave my list on the coffee table. Let me know what you think?"

"You know I will." Elizabeth says simply. "Make sure you take him to the swings. They're his favorite."

"I remember." he replies with a smile. "Don't worry about dinner. We'll pick some up on our way back."

"Sounds good." she replies. "See you soon."

Ending the call, knowing that he'd be seeing her soon enough, Jason finishes feeding Cameron his lunch before packing up the things they'd need for their time in the park. Normally Elizabeth would be the one to pack up the things that Cameron would need, seeing as he wasn't exactly experienced in that department, but today is a day for new things and that meant packing the bag himself for once.

Once he was certain he has packed a bag Elizabeth would approve of, he gets Cameron dressed and out the door they go. Keeping a mental note to stop by the swings like instructed to do so, Jason parks the SUV in the parking lot near the entrance of the park before making sure the guards were in place before entering.

As much as he wishes that his enemies played by the same rules he and Sonny play by, there are still those that will not hesitate at the sight of a child. For that reason alone, he has ordered a group of six men to watch out for them while he placed his focus on Cameron, where it belongs.

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With a general idea of how everything would go together, Elizabeth makes her way back into the main part of the No Name, thoroughly surprised to find that Johnny was nowhere in sight. From the moment they landed in Port Charles, there has been a tenseness between the two, something observed by both she and Jason. As much as she would love to leave them to their issues, she just got them back and she'd rather not have one or both leave because of their problems with each other.

"Where's Johnny?" she decides to open with that, gaining Francis's attention.

"Out back double checking the layout we made." Francis shrugs. "Why? Did you need something?"

"Only for you to tell me what's going on." Elizabeth counters. "From what Jason has told me and what I've seen, you two are fighting more than I have ever seen you fight before. What's that all about?"

"I'd rather not pull you..."

"You're not pulling, I'm joining of my own free will." Elizabeth cuts him off swiftly. "I love you both, Francis, which means I'm already in this. Tell me what's going on."

"Johnny's just been feeling a little on the outside since we got back." Francis admits carefully. "He thinks that I'm purposely trying to one-up him and I'm trying to get it into his thick skull that I'm not."

"You kind of put that vibe out there though."

"You too?" Francis looks at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"I'm not taking sides, I'm just telling you how it looks." Elizabeth puts her hands up in defense. "I know its hard to do, but sometimes you just gotta let him bring the better gift, you know?"

"It was his dumb idea to bring wine."

"Its Johnny." Elizabeth reminds him. "Sometimes he does need a guiding hand."

"So, in other words, I should apologize."

"I think you should." Elizabeth says simply. "And remind him that he's just as important to everyone as you are."

"Will do."

"Great." Elizabeth says with a smile. "I have to get going. I still have to get started on planning the grand opening on top of Jason's surprise."

"If anyone can handle it, its you."

"You're too sweet." Elizabeth replies before kissing his cheek. "Just remember that he's your best friend. Whatever you two fight about isn't worth losing that."

"I know." Francis assures. "And be careful, okay. Don't work too hard."

"Dully noted."

Meeting up with Cody at the sedan, she tells him its time to head home, thankful that she'll have some time alone to put the final touches on her surprise for Jason before delving into the grand opening. Assuring Cody that she will keep the doors locked and the security system on while she works, Elizabeth makes her way to the couch before picking up Jason's list from the coffee table where he left it. Looking it over, she couldn't help but put the pieces together in her mind. With a little tweak here and there, the grand opening will be nothing short of a success.

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Taking a deep breath, Jason sternly told Carly to shut her mouth before handing Cameron over to Marco, instructing him to take his son to the car with the men and wait for him to join them. Normally he'd send him home to his mother, but Elizabeth would pretty much castrate him for doing so when the only threat at the moment is Carly.

Sending Cameron away from a situation was only to be done when absolutely necessary in order to avoid frightening him by not having Jason there. Cameron's still getting used to the guards and it wouldn't do anyone any good to leave Cameron to their care without Jason or Elizabeth present for a long period of time.

"If you ever do something like that again with Cameron present, you and I are through." Jason snaps, furious with the way she chose to handle her outburst, all but scaring Cameron to tears. "Do you hear me?!"

"Don't turn this around on me!" Carly snaps back, visibly shaken by the threat. "You have been avoiding me ever since you dropped your relationship bomb and I'm sick of it! You don't get to make a life changing decision like that and then just avoid me."

"This right here should give you the understanding of why I've kept my distance." Jason states. "I'm trying to start a life with Elizabeth and the last thing I need is for you to come in and derail it."

"She's not the one for you, Jason!" Carly exclaims. "After everything she has put you through, I would have thought you'd see that by now."

"Our past is what makes the life we're building together that much more worth it." Jason counters. "I'm only going to say this once, so, you better hear me when I say it. Elizabeth is my family now. You can either accept that or accept no longer having a place in my personal life. The choice is on you."

Once again, he walks away from her without waiting for a response, wanting more than anything to get back to Cameron and assure him that everything was fine. Because of Carly's outburst, he had been shaken up a little and that was something he wouldn't condone. Not ever.

Getting to the car, he picks Cameron up into his arms and does his best to explain what just happened without overloading him with too much information. Once he gets him calm and back to his little cheery self, Jason instructs the guards that he'll be taking Cameron home where Marco will remain while the others head back to their usual duties. He wasn't looking forward to telling Elizabeth any of this, but he knows he has to. As long as its not business, he has no reason to keep it from her.

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Elizabeth called for takeout as soon as Jason got home without dinner. Once they ate and put Cameron to bed, she could see that he was preparing to have a serious talk with her and she wasn't all to certain she was ready to have it. Mostly because she wasn't sure what they would be talking about or what they had to discuss that would have him looking the way he does. A little voice in her head wondered if he knew about the surprise, but she doubts that to be true. It wasn't until Jason started telling her what happened at the park that she all but lost it.

"I'll handle Carly." Jason assures her as he pulls her down onto his lap. "Will you trust me to do that?"

"Yes." she replies before taking a deep breath. "If that ever happens again..."

"It won't." he assures her. "I've instructed the guards to keep her away when I'm alone with Cameron."

"Okay." she couldn't help but be thankful for that. "Do you think she'll ever accept us?"

"Its Carly." he shrugs. "No way to know."

"I trust you to handle your best friend." she says before kissing him softly. "Enough about that...do you want to see what I came up with for the Grand Opening?"

"Did you like my ideas?"

"I loved them." she assures. "I simply took your concept and tweaked it a bit. I hope you'll like what I came up with."

"I'm sure I will."

Leaving talk of Carly and her tantrums aside, they sit together at the coffee table going over everything she had planned for the grand opening of the No Name. Of course invitations would be extended to the five families and others in the organization, but there will also be invitations going out to the general population as well. The No Name will still be by reservations only, once the place is up and running, so, the grand opening will be by invitation only. Something Jason approved of. Especially with the heads of the five families in attendance.

Watching her as she tells him everything she has planned, Jason can't help the soft smile that touches his lips as he holds her in his arms. No matter what comes their way, he's certain they will weather through it this time, that includes Carly. He hadn't been one to be too confident in his relationship with Elizabeth in the past, but its different this time around. He can feel it. This time is different. This time he will fight for their future and he won't stop until its theirs.


End file.
